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Truagh Gaels clubman Niall Treanor, a former Monaghan hurler, has been confirmed as the Farney’s new man at the helm after he and his management team were ratified at a county board meeting last night.

“It’s a massive commitment to put in but it’s something that I didn’t take lightly,” Treanor, who’s done a lot of work with underage ladies football in Monaghan over the past few years, told The42.

“It’s just trying to get the best people around you. That was one sure thing going for it, I needed the two guys with me.

“They’re good, experienced coaches when it comes to ladies football. Adam coached the Emmet Óg team this year that got to the All-Ireland intermediate final and then Ciaran Murphy was in college and has reverted back to Monaghan there recently. He’s been manager of Sean McDermotts the last three or four years and has done great work there.

📘New County Senior Management Ratified.

We are pleased to announce that Niall Treanor and his management team were ratified as Monaghan LGFA Senior Management for the 2019 season at a county board meeting last night.We wish them and the team the very best for the 2019 season! pic.twitter.com/lrr9RXgeOS

“Going for the job wasn’t the daunting thing, it was getting the best team around me. When it comes to connections and so forth within the county I’d be good that way. I’d be pretty tuned in to GAA within Monaghan.”

Having played hurling for both his club in North Monaghan and the county team, Treanor was also liaison officer for the senior hurlers in the early 2000s and has served on the county board.

About six years ago, he started coaching ladies football with his club and his efforts saw him take the reigns as Monaghan LGFA development manager from there.

Last year, Treanor served as U14 manager and saw his side reach the Ulster A final. There, they were beaten by Cavan, who went on to win the All-Ireland, but it was a “massive learning experience”.

Now he’ll take a huge step into the senior ranks. He succeeds five-time All-Ireland club winner Annmarie Burns at the helm, who oversaw a testing year for Monaghan.

Ciara McAnespie facing Mayo last year.
Source: Eóin Noonan/SPORTSFILE

Treanor will be the Ulster side’s third manager in three years, Paula Cunningham led the charge before Burns.

In 2018, they had a difficult run in the league but retained their Division 1 status, and now prepare for a 27th successive year in the top flight. Again in the TG4 All-Ireland championship, they preserved their senior status with a hard-fought win over neighbours Cavan in the relegation play-off semi-final.

They’re a team in transition but will look to build going forward under Treanor,

“The big thing for Monaghan ladies that we have to do,” he continues, “and the girls know it themselves…. when you look at Monaghan ladies, Donaghmoyne have been the backbone for a number of years, and Emyvale as well.

“But there’s an awful lot of clubs, an awful lot of work being done at the minute at underage level and that’s a massive positive for us. It’s great to see. There’s an unbelievable amount of talented girls, but it’s just trying to get commitment from them.

“It’ll be key to get the mixture of youth and experience. There’s some really top-class players; the likes of Ellen McCarron, the Courtneys, the McAnespies; that can make the transition for younger girls coming from minor into seniors easier.”

He adds: “There is a good structure in Monaghan, it’s just keeping it as professional as possible as well. The girls are seen as second-class citizens compared to the men, but we try to keep it as professional as we can. We try to offer girls as much as we can because they’re putting in the same effort as the men, if not more, on a daily basis.”

While Monaghan LGFA also confirmed that Mark Dockery wil be the team physio and Emma Coyle will act as performance nutritionist, they’re training away at the minute in preparation for kick-off in Division 1 of the Lidl Ladies National Football League.

“Our first league game is what we’re thinking of at the minute, that’s our only focus getting back,” Treanor concludes.

“It’s only been a month since Emmet Óg played in the All-Ireland (intermediate) final, five or six weeks since Donaghmoyne were in the (senior) semi-final. It’s trying to get as much work done as we can.

“It’s a massive challenge but we need everyone to commit to the cause. All we can do is steer the bus, the girls have to drive the bus on and have everyone singing off the same hymn sheet.”

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